Recording and signaling mechanism



March 1,486,576 G. M. HAFER RECORDING AND SIGNALING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 14, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .L f (Q March 11 1924. 1,486,576

G. M. HAFE R RECORDING AND SIGNALING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 14, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 u||||||||||||||| IAIIIIIIIYIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIW w in /6 4 "IHHH' I 271126772077 zgy flfizQy/ez j fl zakz? Patented Mar. 11, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUY M. HAFER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO HOSKINS' MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

RECORDING AND SIGNALING MECHANISM.

Application filed September 14, 1921. Serial No. 500,715.

To whom it may concern Be it known that I, GUY M. HAFER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of-Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Recording and Signaling Mechanism, of whichv the following is a specification.

This-invention relates to recording and signalling mechanism and is particularly adapted to be applied to a galvanometer for indicating and recording the strength of an electric current passing through the galvanometer. p

Referring now to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the instrument; Figure 2 is a partial side elevation of the same; Figure 3 is a partial detail of a signalling operating mechanism; and Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram of the lighting circuit.

The mechanism is illustrated as applied to a galvanometer (not shown) which may be connected to a pyrometer (not shown) which serves for indicating and recording the temperature of a furnace.

The main frame 10 of the instrument carries a member 11 in which is journalled a vertical shaft carrying the gear 12. This ear has a lug 13 secured upon its lower ace. Downwardly extending ears 14 are connected by a pin 15 upon which is pivotally 'mounted an arm 16. A spring 17 secured to the upper'side of the gear 12 normally maintains this arm in raised position.

The gear 12 and arm 16 'are movable through quite an are by means of the thumbscrew 12 and the pinion 12 which meshes with the gear 12.

A shaft 18 rotated at a uniform rate as by means of the clockwork mechanism carries a cam 19 which engages the cam-follower 20 which serves to operate the lift-rod 21. This rod is connected to the outer end of the lever 22 which is pivotally mounted near its center on the pin 23 and serves when raised to depress the pin 24 which passes through an opening in the center of the gear 12 and which rests upon the arm 16.

It will thus be seen that once in each revolution of the shaft 18 the arm 16 will be de pressed for an instant and returned to its original position by means of the spring 17.

The galvanometer needle 26 lies under the arm 16 and swings upon substantially the same vertical axis as this arm. This needle carries a pin 27 which moves over a rigid arcuate ledge 28 the center of which coincides with the axis of the needle 26 and the arm 16.

A series of plungers 29,30 and 31- as shown in Fig. 3 are mounted to slide verti- ,cally in the outer end of the arm 16 and overlie the ledge 28. Each of these plungers has a notched or necked-in portion 32 at its upper end as shown in Fig. 2. A spring plate 33 is yieldingly mountedon pins 34 at the outer end of the arm 16, the upper edge of this plate normally lying above the ends of the plungers, but serving to retain a plunger when raised. It will be understood from' the foregoing that when the arm 16 is turned so as to bring one of the plungers. above the pin 27, upon the next actuation of the rod 21 by the cam 19 the arm 16 will be depressed and one of the plungers as 29 in Fig. 3 lying immediately over the pin 27 will cause this pin to be depressed until it strikes the ledge 28 when the plunger 29 will be forced up through the arm 16 and retained in this position by the spring 33. It then the needle 26 remains in this position, the next revolution of the cam 19 will produce no change in the rela 'tive positions of the plungers as shown in Fig. 3. 1f however the needle 26 moves toward the right of this Figure so as to lie directly under the plunger 30, upon the next revolution of the cam 19 the plunger 30 would be raised and the plunger 29 would thereby be released and returned to its normally lowered position. Springs 35 as shown in Fig. 2 tend to force these plungers into their normally lowered position. 3

An electric switch consisting of flexible members 36 and 37 is carriedv by the arm 16 with the free ends of the switch above the lunger 31 and is placed in series with a suitable source of current 38 and the red lamp 39 as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The white lamp 39 and the green lamp 39 are similarly controlled by switch elements 36 ,37 and 36 and 37 placed above the plungers 30 and 29 respectively. Thus when the galvanometer needle is below the control plunger 30, the control switch 36*, 27* is closed causing the white light 39 to be lighted. This lamp will remain lighted until the galvanometer needle moves to one side and actuates one of the side plungers 29 'or 31 thereby causing the plate 33 to be moved back releasing the plunger 30 and permitting it to drop. At the same time the raised plunger is retained by the spring 33 and the corresponding colored light burns until a new plunger is raised.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the member 16 is moved so that the control plunger 30 overlies the line in the scale which it is desired that the galvanomcter shall follow. Consequently as long as the white light shows the operator knows that the desired temperature of the furnace on which the instrument is operating is being maintained. Red or green lights indicate that the temperature of the furnace is higher or lower than that desired.

The arm 16 is turned so that the center plunger 30 is at the point at which it is desired to maintain the galvonometer needle 26. hen the needle is under this plunger a white light will remain burning. As the needle 26 swings slightly to one side it may actuate both the center plunger 30 and one of the end plungers. Let us assume that a movement to the left of this plunger indicates a lower temperature than that desired while the movement to the right indicates a higher temperature, and that the plunger 31 operates a. red light while the plunger 29 operates a green light.

It will thus be seen that if the white and green light are both burning the operator will know that the needle 26 is very near the desired point but slightly below it, whereas if the green light only were showing he knows that the needle is some distance below the desired point. Likewise when the red light is showing he knows that the reading of the needle is above the desired point.

The galvanometer needle 26 also carries a point 40 wh ch swings over a table il over which is stretched a fabric 4-2 as typewriter ribbon which is impregnated with coloring matter. This ribbon is preferably mounted upon spools 43 and a l as shown in Fig. 1 so that it may be wound from one to the other.

A record sheet 45 preferably having perforations in its edges passes over a sprocket drum 46 which is connected to a clockwork mechanism whereby it is wound from the drum 47 to the drum 48.

At each actuation of the arm 16 the point 40 is forced down causing the ribbon 4-2 to make a slight permanent mark or dot upon the record sheet 45 which is preferably of transparent material having a suit able scale thereon corresponding to the reading of the needle 26. A permanent record is thus made of the movements of this needle.

While I have shown and described but a single embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims in which it is my intention to cover all novelty inherent in the inven-' tion as broadly as possible in view of the prior art.

lYhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. in apparatus of the character sct forth, an instrument having an oscillating needle and a scale over which said needle swings, a pin carried by said needle. a lcdgc ovcr which said pin oscillates, a member having a pinrality of plungcrs slidably mounted thcrcin. said plungcrs overlying the path of said pin, means for periodically depressing said member to cause said pin to actuate one of said plungcrs. and an electric circuit having a switch which will be closed by said plunger as it is actuated.

"3. In apparatus of the character set forth, an instrument having an oscillating needle and a scale over which said needle swings, a pin carried by said needle. a ledge over which said pin oscillates. a member having a plurality of plungcrs slidably mounted therein, said plungers overlying the path of said pin. means for periodically depressing said member to cause said pin to actuate one of said plungers, an electric circuit having a switch which will be closed by said plunger as it is actuated, and an electric lamp in said circuit.

3. In apparatus of the character set forth, an instrument having an oscillating needle and a scale over which said needle swings, a pin carried by said needle, a ledge over which said pin oscillates, a member having a plurality of plungers slidably mounted therein, said plungers overlying the path of said pin, means for periodically depressing said member to cause said pin to actuate one of said plungers, an electric circuit having a switch which will be closed by said plunger as it is actuated. and means operable by said circuit for indicating the position of said needle.

4. In apparatus of the character set forth, an instrument having an oscillating needle and a scale over which said needle swings, a pin carried by said needle. a member having a plurality of plungers slidablv mounted therein, said plungers overlying the path of said pin, means for periodically depressing said member to cause said pin to actuate one of said plungers, an electric circuit for each of said plungers, each circuit having a switch operable by one of said plungers, and means in said circuit for indicating which plunger is actuated.

5. In apparatus of the character set forth, an instrument having an oscillating needle and a scale over which said needle swings, a

pin carried by said needle, a ledge over which said pin oscillates, a member having a plurality of plungers slidably mounte therein, said plungers overlying the path of said pin, means for periodically depressing said member to cause said pin to actuate one of said plungers, and means operable by said plungers for indicating which plunger is actuated.

6. 1n apparatus of the character set forth, an instrument havingan oscillating needle and a scale over which said needle swings, a pin carried by said needle, a ledge ,over which said pin oscillates, a member having a plurality of plungers slidably mounted therein, said plungers overlying the path of said pin, means for periodical y depressing said member to cause said pin to actuate one of said plungers, and means operable by said plungers for indicating which plunger is actuated, said member being movable over said scale.

0.7. In apparatus of the character set forth,

.an instrument having an oscillating needle and a scale over which said needle swings, a pin carried by said needle, a ledge over which saidpin oscillates, a member havin a plurality of plungers slidably mounte therein, said plungers overlying the path of said pin, means for periodically depressing said member to cause said pin to actuate one of said plun ers, and means operable by said plungers or indicating which plunger is actuated, said member being movable about the axis of said needle.

GUY M. HAFER. 

